Big Sandy Creek near Havre MT water level

Name: Big Sandy Creek near Havre MT water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Big Sandy Creek, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.33ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 AM MDT (38 min ago)

Flow: 17.6 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Big Sandy Creek near Havre MT, where the gauge shows 2.33 ft.

It is 6.17 ft below the flood stage of 8.50 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.33 ft – 2.47 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 15.15 ftMarch 30, 1978

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 8.50 ft.

What happens at each level

11.00 ft: At 11 feet, water overflows Road 50.April 17, 2018 Notes: When the Big Sandy gauge was around 11 Feet, Road 50 actually washed out. The water was about 18 inches above the road when it washed out. One 16 foot culvert was in place at that time. The rough location of Road 50 and Big Sandy Creek is about 7 miles north of the casino on Highway 87, then go 3 miles west.
8.50 ft: Water out of banks in several locations and starting to spread into frequently used pastures, fields, corrals, etc.
5.50 ft: Water starting to come out of banks in isolated areas. Water starting to cover lowest roads through pastures and fields.
2.33 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.15 ft	March 30, 1978
2	14.70 ft	April 3, 1952
3	14.63 ft	April 19, 2018
4	12.07 ft	April 13, 2023
5	11.90 ft	June 6, 2013
6	11.31 ft	April 12, 1965
7	10.65 ft	May 1, 1969
8	10.65 ft	January 1, 1969
9	9.68 ft	March 21, 1947
10	9.59 ft	June 23, 2010

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:47 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 10 hr, 35 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Sandy Cr above Spring Coulee, near LaredoRiver gauge, Big Sandy Cr	19.5 cfs	High	±0	6 mi
Milk River at Havre MTRiver gauge, Milk River	0.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	7 mi
Fresno ReservoirReservoir	2,566.90 ft	High		7 mi
Boxelder Creek near Rocky BoyRiver gauge, Boxelder Creek	8.9 cfs	Normal	+0.4 cfs	16 mi
Boxelder Creek at Box ElderRiver gauge, Boxelder Creek	5.5 cfs	High	−0.2 cfs	17 mi
Clear Creek near Chinook MTRiver gauge, Clear Creek	3.25 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	21 mi
Battle Creek near Chinook MTRiver gauge, Battle Creek	1.29 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	29 mi
Lodge Creek below McRae Creek at International BoundaryRiver gauge, Lodge Creek	0.29 m	Low	±0	54 km

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Big Sandy Creek near Havre MT?

The official flood stage is 8.50 ft. The level is currently 6.17 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Big Sandy Creek near Havre MT today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:30 AM MDT, the water level was 2.33 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Sandy Creek near Havre MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Big Sandy Creek near Havre MT normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Big Sandy Creek near Havre MT?

The highest level on record is 15.15 ft on March 30, 1978.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06139500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.52671, -109.84158 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	2.33 ft	2026-10-20 17:30	Provisional
Flow	17.6 cfs	2026-10-20 17:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Sandy Creek near Havre MT (usgs:06139500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/big-sandy-creek-near-havre-mt

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer